When employees spend most of their day at a desk, small details — like the height of a chair or the placement of a monitor — can have a significant impact on health and productivity. That’s why UNLV’s Ergonomics program and RebelWELL employee wellness initiative are working together to help faculty and staff create healthier, more comfortable workdays.

The ergonomics program, led by Risk Management Coordinator Jelena Gunjevic, offers individualized workstation assessments designed to make the workspace fit the employee — not the other way around.

“I enjoy helping our colleagues and educating them that they don't have to struggle to fit into their workstation,” Gunjevic says. “Ergonomics can help identify factors that can cause discomfort and injuries or help alleviate pre-existing ones by setting up the workstation properly.”

How the ergonomics program works

With their supervisor’s approval, UNLV employees can request an ergonomic assessment through a Google form. Gunjevic then visits the employee’s workspace, evaluates everything from desk height to lighting, and takes photos for reference. Afterward, she provides a detailed report with recommendations.

Gunjevic has a CEAS I: Ergonomics Assessment Certification, which means her evaluations follow nationally recognized standards. That training ensures that her recommendations go beyond quick fixes to reflect best practices in ergonomics and workplace safety.

Sometimes, those solutions are simple — repositioning a monitor or adjusting the height of a chair. Other times, they involve new equipment. Gunjevic keeps demo chairs on hand through Planning & Construction and has recently started building an “ergo lab” stocked with sample equipment such as keyboards, mice, footrests, and monitor stands. The lab allows employees to try different options to find the equipment best suited for their body before their department makes a purchase.

Her reports can also highlight larger adjustments that may require a department work order — such as moving furniture, changing lighting, or replacing desks entirely. One recent assessment for the Student Services Complex recommended a height-adjustable desk, a properly fitted chair, and improved lighting to address back pain, knee strain, and neck discomfort.

Since Gunjevic took over the program in 2023, demand has grown quickly. “What I keep hearing is, ‘We didn’t know this was a thing, and we need your help,’” she says. In 2023, only eight assessments were completed. By 2024, that number jumped to 26. So far in 2025, more than 35 assessments have already been conducted — with more on the way.

Health and wellness benefits

Creating a comfortable, well-fitted workstation can reduce the risk of injury while also supporting employee focus and energy throughout the day. Gunjevic said many employees are surprised at how small adjustments can ease strain and improve their work experience. One of her favorite reminders comes from author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn: “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

That message aligns closely with the mission of RebelWELL, UNLV’s faculty and staff wellness program. While the ergonomics initiative focuses on safety and comfort at individual workstations, RebelWELL broadens the scope by promoting multiple dimensions of wellness — physical, occupational, emotional, social, and more — through workshops, events, and campus-wide resources. (See the complete RebelWELL program and offerings.)

Currently, RebelWELL offers a series of mini-sessions that pair up with the ergonomics program to improve employee physical wellbeing during the workday. These are:

Monday Moves

Mondays, 12:15 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Virtual; no equipment required.

A 15-minute virtual session at 12:15 p.m. designed for low-impact, functional movements you can do at your desk. These short sequences are built to reduce stiffness, wake up postural muscles, and reinforce the same neutral postures an ergonomics assessment aims to create.

Walking Wednesdays

Wednesdays, 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

In person, meet on the concrete slab at the Alumni Amphitheatre in front of FDH.

A 30-minute, midweek walk that meets at the Amphitheatre in front of FDH. The combination of light cardio, fresh air, and social connection complements chair and desk adjustments by encouraging movement breaks and reducing the cumulative effects of sitting.

Friday Flows

Fridays, 12:15 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Virtual; no equipment required.

A 15 minute virtual stretch session focusing on the neck, shoulders, back, and hips. These deliberate stretches help release tension that builds from prolonged static postures and repetitive motion.

A formal ergonomics assessment and workstation adjustment can help fix any immediate risk factors, while ongoing RebelWELL sessions provide new healthy habits and the community to keep faculty and staff in motion.

Evidence and outcomes

National guidance supports what UNLV staff observe: ergonomics paired with regular movement reduces musculoskeletal strain and improves comfort. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and peer-reviewed research show that ergonomic interventions can reduce pain and disability, lower workers’ compensation costs, and improve both productivity and employee satisfaction. The same is true of adding more instances of movement and transitions between sedentary and active postures throughout the day.

Bryan Curtis, UNLV’s director of IT services in Administration Technology Services, recently returned to campus after knee replacement surgery, and for him, the ergonomics program fills a critical need.

“I was struggling with a lot of pain when I came back, so my director suggested I submit a request for an ergonomics assessment. It was easy — the form was simple to fill out, and Jelena was very kind and responsive. She really listened to what I needed,” Curtis said.

“After the assessment, she took me to the ergo lab so she could show me a different desk she thought would be a good fit.” With Jelena’s detailed report, Curtis and his director were able to request a new setup that will actually fit him and support his needs. “I’m excited to finally have a workstation that doesn’t leave me in pain,” Curtis said.

As participation in the ergonomics program continues to rise, Gunjevic said she’s encouraged by how quickly employees are embracing it. “People are realizing they don’t have to live with discomfort — they can ask for help, and we can find solutions,” she says.

The program’s momentum also reflects a shift in culture: employees are more willing to ask questions about posture, desk setup, and comfort, and supervisors are increasingly supportive of making adjustments that may require work orders or new equipment. According to Gunjevic, these small steps collectively contribute to a campus where health, safety, and wellbeing are a visible priority.